U.S. patent application number 15/500936 was filed with the patent office on 2018-04-26 for door for home appliance and home appliance having the same.
The applicant listed for this patent is LG ELECTRONICS INC.. Invention is credited to Nami KIM, Myeongha YI.
Application Number | 20180112906 15/500936 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57757513 |
Filed Date | 2018-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180112906 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YI; Myeongha ; et
al. |
April 26, 2018 |
DOOR FOR HOME APPLIANCE AND HOME APPLIANCE HAVING THE SAME
Abstract
The present invention provides a door for a home appliance
including a panel assembly including a front panel defining at
least a portion of a front appearance of the door, a rear panel
disposed behind the front panel, and a spacer disposed between a
peripheral portion of the front panel and a peripheral portion of
the rear panel so as to maintain a spacing between the front panel
and the rear panel, a frame assembly for supporting the panel
assembly, the frame assembly including a side frame disposed along
a side surface of the door, the side frame contacting outside air,
and a heat transfer structure for transferring heat of outside air
from the side frame to an interior region defined between the front
panel and the rear panel and between the spacer and a side end of
the door, and a home appliance including the same.
Inventors: |
YI; Myeongha; (Seoul,
KR) ; KIM; Nami; (Seoul, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LG ELECTRONICS INC. |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
57757513 |
Appl. No.: |
15/500936 |
Filed: |
July 14, 2016 |
PCT Filed: |
July 14, 2016 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR2016/007682 |
371 Date: |
February 1, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 23/02 20130101;
F25D 2323/023 20130101; A47F 3/043 20130101; F25D 2400/02 20130101;
F25D 21/04 20130101; F25D 2323/021 20130101; F25D 2400/18 20130101;
A47F 3/0434 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25D 21/04 20060101
F25D021/04; F25D 23/02 20060101 F25D023/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 14, 2015 |
KR |
10-2015-0099662 |
Jan 5, 2016 |
KR |
10-2016-0001137 |
Claims
1-20. (canceled)
21. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet defining a storage chamber
therein; and a door connected to the cabinet and configured to open
and close the storage chamber, wherein the door comprises: an outer
door frame having an opening defined therethrough; and a panel
assembly configured to cover the opening of the outer door frame,
the panel assembly comprising: a front panel that defines a front
surface of the door; an insulating panel arranged on a rear side of
the front panel; and a spacer arranged between the front panel and
the insulating panel and configured to maintain a predetermined
distance between the front panel and the insulating panel of the
panel assembly, wherein the outer door frame of the door comprises:
a first frame connected to the front panel of the panel assembly;
and a second frame that is in contact with a rear surface of the
insulating panel of the panel assembly, wherein the panel assembly
and the outer door frame together define an insulation space
therebetween, wherein an insulating material is provided in the
insulation space, the insulating material extending along a side of
the panel assembly and a portion of a rear surface of the panel
assembly, and wherein the first frame of the outer door frame
comprises: a first part comprising a first surface that defines an
outer appearance of the door, and a second surface that is on an
opposite side of the first part from the first surface and that is
in contact with the insulating material provided in the insulation
space; and at least one heat transfer unit that extends from the
first part of the first frame along a rear surface of a first
portion of the front panel towards the spacer of the panel
assembly, the at least one heat transfer unit arranged on a rear
surface of a masking layer that is provided on the rear surface of
the first portion of the front panel.
22. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the at least one heat
transfer unit of the first frame extends along the rear surface of
the first portion of the front panel towards the side of the panel
assembly.
23. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the at least one heat
transfer unit of the first frame extends along the rear surface of
the first portion of the front panel to a connecting region between
the panel assembly and the outer door frame.
24. The refrigerator of claim 21, further comprising a sealant
arranged along the side of the panel assembly, wherein the at least
one heat transfer unit of the first frame extends along the rear
surface of the first portion of the front panel towards the
sealant.
25. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the at least one heat
transfer unit of the first frame is arranged to be adjacent to the
spacer of the panel assembly.
26. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein a shortest distance
between an end of the at least one heat transfer unit and the
spacer of the panel assembly is smaller than a distance between the
insulating panel of the panel assembly and the front panel of the
panel assembly.
27. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the at least one heat
transfer unit of the first frame is in contact with a rear surface
of the front panel of the panel assembly.
28. The refrigerator of claim 27, wherein the front panel of the
panel assembly comprises an extension that is not overlapped with
the insulating panel of the panel assembly in a front-rear
direction, and wherein the at least one heat transfer unit of the
first frame is in contact with the extension of the front panel of
the panel assembly of the door.
29. The refrigerator of claim 28, wherein the first part of the
first frame of the outer door frame is in contact with the
extension of the front panel of the panel assembly.
30. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the front panel of the
panel assembly comprises an extension that is not overlapped with
the insulating panel of the panel assembly in a front-rear
direction, wherein at least a portion of the at least one heat
transfer unit of the first frame is spaced rearwards apart from the
extension of the front panel of the panel assembly, and wherein a
portion of the insulating material in the insulation space between
the panel assembly and the outer door frame is arranged between the
extension of the front panel and the at least one heat transfer
unit of the first frame.
31. The refrigerator of claim 21, further comprising a heater that
is provided on a rear surface of the front panel of the panel
assembly of the door.
32. The refrigerator of claim 31, wherein the heater on the rear
surface of the front panel is arranged to surround the spacer of
the panel assembly of the door.
33. The refrigerator of claim 31, wherein: the heater is adjacent
to the side of the panel assembly, and the at least one heat
transfer unit of the first frame extends along the rear surface of
the first portion of the front panel to the heater.
34. The refrigerator of claim 31, wherein the masking layer that is
provided on the rear surface of the first portion of the front
panel is configured to obscure the heater from being visible from
an outside of the refrigerator.
35. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the at least one heat
transfer unit comprises a plurality of heat transfer units that are
connected to the first frame of the outer door frame, wherein at
least some of the plurality of heat transfer units are spaced apart
from each other to form a space therebetween, and wherein a portion
of the insulating material is arranged in the space defined between
the at least some of the plurality of heat transfer units.
36. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the first frame of the
outer door frame is made of metal.
37. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the masking layer that is
provided on the rear surface of the first portion of the front
panel is opaque.
38. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the masking layer
comprises an opaque material that is printed on the rear surface of
the first portion of the front panel.
39. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the outer door frame is
arranged at lateral side ends of the door.
40. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the masking layer that is
provided on the rear surface of the first portion of the front
panel is configured to obscure the at least one heat transfer unit
from being visible from an outside of the refrigerator.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a door for home appliance
and home appliance having the same. Particularly, the present
disclosure relates to a refrigerator door and a refrigerator.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In general, refrigerators are apparatuses for keeping stored
objects in a frozen or refrigerated state by maintaining a storage
region defined therein at a predetermined temperature by means of a
refrigeration cycle realized via a compressor, a condenser, an
expansion valve, and an evaporator. Accordingly, a refrigerator
includes storage regions, for example, a freezing compartment and a
refrigerating compartment. Refrigerators may be classified into
various kinds of refrigerators depending on the positions of a
freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment. For example,
refrigerators may be classified into several kinds of
refrigerators, including a top-mounting type refrigerator, in which
a freezing compartment is located above a refrigerating
compartment, a bottom-freezer type refrigerator, in which a
freezing compartment is located below a refrigerating compartment,
a side-by-side type refrigerator, in which a freezing compartment
and a refrigerating compartment are isolated from each other by
means of a partition so as to be located on left and right sides,
and the like. Furthermore, refrigerators may be classified into a
household refrigerator, which is used in the home, and a commercial
refrigerator, which is used in eating places, convenience stores or
the like.
[0003] A freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment are
defined in a cabinet forming the appearance of the refrigerator,
and are selectively opened or closed by a freezing compartment door
and a refrigerating compartment door, respectively. Some
refrigerators also include an interactive touch-input panel
provided on a front surface of a door of the refrigerator. Such
touch-input panels allow a user to control various functions of the
refrigerator by applying a touch-input to the front surface of the
refrigerator door. Some refrigerators are provided with a door made
of glass so as to enable the inside of the refrigerator to be
visible from the outside without opening the door. However, since a
household refrigerator is provided with a freezing compartment door
and a refrigerating compartment door that are opaque, the inside of
the freezing compartment or the refrigerating compartment is
typically made visible only by opening the freezing compartment
door or the refrigerating compartment door.
[0004] Some household refrigerators enable the inside thereof to be
visible without opening the refrigerator door, thus reducing the
loss of cold air caused by frequent opening and closing of the
door. In this type of refrigerator, the door is commonly
constructed so as to include a transparent window enabling the
inside of the refrigerator to be visible from the outside, and a
transparent window support part for supporting the transparent
window. However, since the transparent window of the door is
generally made of glass, there is a disadvantage in that
condensation forms on the glass due to the limited thermal
insulation capacity of the glass.
[0005] Some refrigerators have been designed to overcome this
disadvantage. Examples of such refrigerators are described in
Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0113273 and
Chinese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 104061740A. Korean
Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0113273 is directed to a
commercial showcase refrigerator, in which a frame having no
thermal insulation value supports a glass window. According to this
patent, a heating wire is utilized to heat the glass window to
prevent condensation on the glass window, but the heating wire is
designed to heat the entire glass window, resulting in a
disadvantage of excessive power consumption.
[0006] Furthermore, Chinese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
104061740A is directed to a refrigerator in which a door includes
three glass sheets and a frame support part for supporting the
three glass sheets. The middle glass sheet of the triple glass
sheet is provided on the entire area thereof with an electric
heating film, such as an indium-tin oxide conductive film, which
serves to heat the entire area of the middle glass sheet to prevent
condensation. However, since the heating film also heats the entire
area of the middle glass sheet, there is also a disadvantage of
excessive electric energy being consumed and the structure being
complicated.
[0007] As described above, the related arts are commonly configured
to heat the entire panel using a heating wire or heating film to
compensate for the limited thermal insulation capacity of the panel
or glass window itself. Since these related arts heat the entire
glass window, excessive electric energy is consumed, and the
structure is complicated.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0008] The present disclosure solves the above problems by
providing a refrigerator door and a refrigerator that reduce power
consumption and more efficiently prevents condensation on a panel
using a simplified structure.
Technical Solution
[0009] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there
are provided a door for a home appliance including a panel assembly
including a front panel defining at least a portion of a front
appearance of the door, a rear panel disposed behind the front
panel, and a spacer disposed between a peripheral portion of the
front panel and a peripheral portion of the rear panel so as to
maintain a spacing between the front panel and the rear panel, a
frame assembly for supporting the panel assembly, the frame
assembly including a side frame disposed along a side surface of
the door, the side frame contacting outside air, and a heat
transfer structure for transferring heat of outside air from the
side frame to an interior region defined between the front panel
and the rear panel and between the spacer and a side end of the
door, and a home appliance including the same. The home appliance
may be a refrigerator.
[0010] The panel assembly may include a rear frame connected to the
rear panel, and the side frame may include a rear frame connector
connected to the rear frame and a panel connector connected to the
front panel.
[0011] The rear frame may include a first end connected to the rear
panel and a second end connected to the side panel, the second end
being connected to the rear frame inside the rear frame
connector.
[0012] The rear frame and the side frame may be made of different
materials, and the side frame may have a higher coefficient of heat
transfer than the rear frame.
[0013] Specifically, the rear frame may be made of resin material,
and the side frame may be made of metal. The resin material may be
ABS material having a high thermal insulation value, and the metal
may be aluminum having a high heat transfer property.
[0014] The heat transfer structure may include a heat transfer
portion, the heat transfer portion being connected at one end
thereof to the side frame and extending toward a side surface of
the interior region. The heat of the side frame may be efficiently
transferred to the interior region via the heat transfer portion.
Specifically, heat may be transferred to a side surface of the
interior region.
[0015] The remaining end of the heat transfer portion may be
connected to the side surface of the interior region and may extend
along the side surface of the interior region.
[0016] Cold air behind the panel assembly may be transferred to an
area in front of the panel assembly through a peripheral portion of
the panel assembly. Specifically, cold air may be transferred
through the spacer. Accordingly, the interior region of the panel
assembly outside the spacer may be supplied with heat rather than
cold air.
[0017] To this end, outside heat may be supplied from the side
frame via the heat transfer structure.
[0018] The side frame and the heat transfer structure may be
integrally formed. As a result, more efficient heat transfer may be
implemented.
[0019] The front panel may include a peripheral front panel portion
having a larger width than the rear panel, and the interior region
may include a rear surface of the peripheral front panel
portion.
[0020] The heat transfer structure may be disposed at the
peripheral front panel portion.
[0021] The door for a home appliance may further include a heating
element disposed at the interior region of the panel assembly. The
heating element may supply heat to the interior region, either in
conjunction with or independently of the heat transfer
structure.
[0022] The heating element may be disposed at the portion at which
the front panel is coupled to the frame assembly.
[0023] The heating element may be constituted by a heating wire,
and may be attached to the rear surface of the front panel using
metal tape.
[0024] A thermal insulating space may be defined between the rear
frame, the side frame and the interior region of the panel
assembly, and may be provided therein with a thermal insulator.
[0025] The rear frame may be connected to the rear panel so as to
cover the spacer, and a thermal insulator may be provided behind
the spacer. As a result, it may be possible to primarily reduce
transfer of cold air via the spacer by virtue of the rear frame and
the thermal insulator.
[0026] The heat transfer structure may include a heat transfer
portion, which penetrates the thermal insulating space so as to
transfer heat from the side frame to the interior region of the
panel assembly. In this case, the thermal insulator envelops a
conduit for heat transfer formed by the heat transfer structure. As
a result, it may be possible to achieve efficient heat transfer via
the heat transfer structure.
[0027] The side frame may include an indented portion that is
indented toward the inside of the door, the indented portion
defining a handle of the door.
[0028] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there
are provided a refrigerator door including a panel assembly
including a front panel defining at least a portion of a front
appearance of the door, a rear panel disposed behind the front
panel, and a spacer disposed between a peripheral portion of the
front panel and a peripheral portion of the rear panel so as to
maintain a spacing between the front panel and the rear panel, a
frame assembly for supporting the panel assembly, the frame
assembly including a side frame disposed along a side surface of
the door, the side frame contacting outside air, a heat transfer
structure or a heat bridge for transferring heat of outside air
from the side frame to an interior region defined between the front
panel and the rear panel and between the spacer and a side end of
the door, and a heating element disposed at the interior region of
the panel assembly so as to provide heat to the interior region,
and a refrigerator including the same. Obviously, the door may be
applied not only to a refrigerator but also to a home appliance
having a storage compartment.
[0029] The panel assembly may be a transparent panel, and the panel
assembly may include a see-through region defined by a region
inside the spacer and a non-see-through region outside the
spacer.
[0030] The heat transfer structure and the heating element may be
disposed at the non-see-through region. As a result, it may be
possible to provide the refrigerator door including the see-through
region with an improved aesthetic appearance by virtue of the heat
transfer structure and the heating element.
[0031] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a door for a home appliance including a panel assembly
including a front panel defining at least a portion of a front
appearance of the door, a frame assembly for supporting the panel
assembly, the frame assembly including a side frame disposed along
a side surface of the door, and a heat transfer structure disposed
behind the front panel so as to transfer heat to a region between
the side frame and the front panel.
[0032] The front panel may include a peripheral front panel
portion, to which the side frame is connected, and the heat
transfer structure may be provided at the peripheral front panel
portion.
[0033] The panel assembly may include a rear panel disposed behind
the door, the panel assembly may include a rear frame connected to
the rear panel, and the side frame may include a rear frame
connector connected to the rear frame and a panel connector
connected to the front panel.
[0034] The panel assembly may include an interior region defined
between the front panel and the rear panel, the front panel may
have a larger width than the interior region of the panel assembly,
and the portion of the front panel that extends outward beyond the
width of the interior region of the panel assembly may include the
peripheral front panel portion.
[0035] The panel assembly may include one or more thermal
insulation panels provided at the interior region of the panel
assembly, the front panel may have a larger width than the maximum
width of the one or more thermal insulation panels, and the portion
of the front panel that extends beyond the maximum width of the one
or more thermal insulation panels may include the peripheral front
panel portion.
[0036] The side frame may be provided at the peripheral front panel
portion.
[0037] The panel assembly may include an inner side surface
defining a side surface of the interior region of the panel
assembly, and the heat transfer structure may include a heat
transfer portion, which is connected at one end thereof to the side
frame of the panel assembly and extends toward the inner side
surface.
[0038] The other end of the heat transfer portion may be connected
to the inner side surface and may extend along the inner side
surface.
[0039] The other end of the heat transfer portion may be connected
to the peripheral front panel portion of the front panel and may
extend along the peripheral front panel portion.
[0040] The front panel, the side frame and the inner side surface
defining the side surface of the interior region of the panel
assembly may define a thermal insulation region therebetween, and
the heat transfer portion may extend from the side frame into the
thermal insulation region.
[0041] The heat transfer structure may include a heating element
for generating heat. Specifically, the heat transfer structure may
perform transfer and generation of heat.
[0042] The heat transfer structure may be connected to the heating
element.
[0043] The side frame may be connected to the peripheral front
panel portion, and may extend along at least a portion of the
length of the peripheral front panel portion.
[0044] The heating element may be provided at a predetermined
position on the inner side surface of the panel assembly.
[0045] The heating element may be provided at the front panel of
the panel assembly.
[0046] The heating element may be provided at a portion where the
front panel is connected to the frame assembly.
[0047] The side frame and the heat transfer structure may be
integrally formed.
[0048] The side frame may include an indented portion, and the
indented portion may be indented toward the inside of the door.
[0049] The rear frame may be made of thermoplastic resin having a
high heat transfer property, preferably ABS. The side frame and the
heat transfer structure may be made of metal, preferably
aluminum.
[0050] The front panel may have the same size as the door.
[0051] The front panel may be a touch-input panel.
[0052] The front panel may be a transparent glass panel.
[0053] The home appliance may be a refrigerator, the door may be a
sub-door of a refrigerator, the refrigerator may include a cabinet
and a main door for opening and closing the cabinet, and the
sub-door may be a door of a home appliance, which is hingedly
coupled to the main door.
[0054] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a refrigerator door including a panel assembly
including a plurality of panels of thermally insulated glass and
spacers disposed between the glass panels, a front glass panel of
the plurality of glass panels having a peripheral portion larger
than other glass panels; a side frame disposed behind the
peripheral portion of the front glass panel, the side frame being
connected at one end thereof to the peripheral portion of the front
glass panel and at the other end thereof extending rearward from
the peripheral portion of the front glass panel; a rear frame being
connected at one end thereof to the side frame and at the other end
thereof to the rear glass panel of the panel assembly; a thermal
insulator disposed in the space defined between the rear frame, the
side frame and the peripheral portion of the front glass panel; and
a heat transfer structure (heat transfer frame) being connected at
one end thereof to the side frame and at the other end thereof
extending toward the edge of the panel assembly. The side frame and
the heat transfer structure may be made of metal.
[0055] The heat transfer structure may be in close contact with the
inner surface of the peripheral portion of the front glass
panel.
[0056] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
the present invention may further include another heat transfer
structure, which is connected at one end thereof to the side frame
and at the other end thereof extends toward the edge of the panel
assembly through the thermal insulator. The other end of the heat
transfer structure may extend along the edge of the panel assembly.
Furthermore, the other end of the heat transfer structure may
extend along the inner surface of the front glass panel.
[0057] The one end of the heat transfer structure may be connected
to the side frame and may pass through the thermal insulator. The
other end of the heat transfer structure may extend along the edge
of the panel assembly or the inner surface of the peripheral
portion of the front glass panel. The side frame and the heat
transfer structure may be made of aluminum.
[0058] The side frame and the heat transfer structure may be
integrally formed. The peripheral portion of the front glass panel
may have the same size as the size of the entire door. The side
frame may include an indented portion that is indented toward the
inside of the door.
[0059] In accordance with still another aspect of the present
invention, the other end of the rear frame may extend so as to
cover the spacer. Preferably, the other end of the rear frame may
extend to the position at which the spacer is disposed. The rear
frame may be made of thermoplastic resin having a high thermal
insulation value. Preferably, the rear frame may be made of ABS.
The rear frame and the side frame may at least partially overlap
each other.
[0060] In accordance with a further aspect of the present
invention, the panel assembly may further be provided at a
predetermined position on the edge thereof with a heating element.
The front glass panel of the panel assembly may be the same size as
the door.
Advantageous Effects
[0061] Advantageous effects obtained by the door for a home
appliance and the home appliance including the same according to
the present invention will now be described.
[0062] First, according to an embodiment of the present invention,
there is an advantage of being able to simply and efficiently
prevent condensation on the connecting region between the panel
assembly and the frame assembly.
[0063] Second, according to another embodiment of the present
invention, it is possible to prevent condensation by heating the
connecting region between the panel assembly and the support of the
panel assembly without having to heat the entire panel assembly.
Accordingly, there is an advantage of being able to drastically
reduce power consumption, compared to the case where the entire
panel assembly is heated. Specifically, there is an advantage of
being able to reduce power consumption to about 1/8 of the power
consumption of heating the entire panel assembly 10. As a result,
there are advantages of being able to simplify the structure of the
heating element and to improve the freedom in design of the
door.
[0064] Third, according to a further embodiment of the present
invention, there is an advantage of being able to prevent
condensation by modifying the structure of the support of the panel
assembly. Specifically, there are advantages of being able to
improve the aesthetic appearance of the door and of being able to
prevent condensation on the connecting region between the panel
assembly and the support of the panel assembly by making the front
glass panel of the panel assembly have substantially the same size
as the door.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0065] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of an
example of a refrigerator according to an implementation of the
present disclosure;
[0066] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view
taken along line I-I in FIG. 1;
[0067] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an exploded perspective
view of an example of a sub-door shown in FIG. 1;
[0068] FIGS. 4A to 4E are diagrams illustrating cross-sectional
views of various implementations of the frame assembly shown in
FIG. 2;
[0069] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of an
example of a refrigerator according to another implementation of
the present disclosure;
[0070] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a perspective of an example
of a sub-door as shown in FIG. 5; and
[0071] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of an
example of a refrigerator according to a further implementation of
the present disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF IMPLEMENTATIONS AND BEST MODEL
[0072] In the following description, a bottom freezer type
refrigerator will be set forth as an example for convenience of
explanation. However, implementations are not limited to a bottom
freezer type refrigerator, and may also include a top-mounting type
refrigerator, a side-by-side type refrigerator, or other suitable
types of refrigerators. Furthermore, in the following description,
a refrigerator including a refrigeration compartment door
constituted by two doors, a main door and a sub door, will be set
forth as an example for convenience of explanation. However,
implementations are not limited thereto, and may also include a
refrigerator including a refrigeration compartment door consisting
of a single door or any suitable number of doors. As such, the
present disclosure may be applied to any suitable type of
refrigerator.
[0073] Furthermore, although the present disclosure describes
refrigerators, the techniques described herein are not limited to
refrigerators and may generally be applied to other types of home
appliances that include a door. For example, implementations
described herein may be applied to an appliance having a door that
is equipped with a transparent material or equipped with a
touch-input panel. In general, implementations of the present
disclosure may be applied to various types of home appliances to
reduce condensation in a panel of a door of the home appliance in a
more energy-efficient and less complex manner. The examples that
follow are described with reference to a refrigerator as an example
of such an appliance.
[0074] An example of an overall structure of a refrigerator
according to a preferred implementation of the present disclosure
will be described with reference to FIG. 1. However,
implementations are not limited to the exact structure of FIG. 1,
and other refrigerator structures may be used with a different
number of doors, a different installation mode of the doors, and
the like
[0075] Referring to the example in FIG. 1, a refrigerator includes
a cabinet 1 that is provided with a refrigerating compartment at an
upper part of the cabinet land with a freezing compartment at a
lower part of the cabinet 1. The refrigerating compartment and the
freezing compartment are opened and closed by doors. For example,
the upper refrigerating compartment is opened and closed by door 3,
door 5, and door 7, the latter of which may be a sub-door. The
lower freezing compartment is opened and closed by door 9 and door
11.
[0076] In the example of FIG. 1, although the right side of the
upper refrigerating compartment is illustrated as being opened and
closed by both a main door 5 and a sub-door 7, implementations are
not limited thereto, and the right refrigerating compartment door
may be provided with a single door. Furthermore, although the
refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment are
illustrated as being provided with side-by-side doors,
implementations are not limited thereto, and each compartment may
be provided with a single door or any suitable number and
configuration of doors. According to the implementation of FIG. 1,
the right refrigerating compartment door includes the main door 5,
hingedly coupled to the cabinet 1, and the sub-door 7, hingedly
coupled to the main door 5. The main door 5 is provided with an
additional subsidiary storage space, such as a basket, that allows
a user to access objects stored in the subsidiary storage space by
opening only the sub-door 7, without necessarily opening the main
door 5.
[0077] The sub-door 7 according to the implementation of FIG. 1
includes a panel assembly 10 and a frame assembly 20. The panel
assembly 10 may define a front surface of the sub-door 7. The frame
assembly 20 may include one or more frames that support the panel
assembly 10.
[0078] In some implementations, the panel assembly 10 may include a
transparent panel through which the inside of the refrigerator is
visible from the outside thereof. In some implementations, the
panel assembly 10 may include an interactive touch-input panel that
enables a user to control one or more operations of the
refrigerator from the outside. The frame assembly 20 structurally
supports the panel assembly 10. The refrigerator door, for example,
the sub-door 7, including the panel assembly 10 may have a thermal
insulation value to prevent leakage of cold air to the outside as
well as intrusion of external heat to the inside of the
refrigerator. Accordingly, the panel assembly 10 and the frame
assembly 20, which constitute the sub-door 7, may have a thermal
insulation value.
[0079] However, there may be challenges in maintaining the thermal
insulation of the panel assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20. In
some implementations, the panel assembly 10 may be predominantly
made of glass to provide transparent see-through capabilities. In
some implementations, the panel assembly 10 may be configured with
an interactive touch-input panel that enables a user's touch-input
to control operations of the refrigerator. In either
implementation, the panel assembly 10 may be difficult to thermally
insulate. To address such challenges, the panel assembly 10 may be
provided with insulation therein to provide thermal insulation. For
example, the panel assembly 10 may include one or more internal
thermal insulation panels and/or may be provided with other
insulating material within the panel assembly 10 to improve thermal
insulation.
[0080] While thermal insulation of the panel assembly 10 may help
maintain a cold temperature inside the refrigerator, there may be
additional challenges caused by the resulting differences in
temperature and/or humidity between the inside and outside of the
refrigerator. For example, condensation may form on the panel
assembly 10 due to differences in temperature and/or humidity
between the inside and outside of the refrigerator. Such
condensation may reduce the overall thermal insulation capabilities
of the panel assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20. To address
problems caused by condensation, in some refrigerators, the entire
panel assembly 10 may be heated to reduce the difference in
temperature and/or humidity between the inside and outside of the
panel assembly 10, thus reducing condensation on the panel assembly
10 while maintaining a cold temperature inside the
refrigerator.
[0081] However, techniques such as those described above may not be
able to prevent condensation on the panel assembly 10 in some
situations. For example, in some scenarios, condensation may still
occur on the panel assembly 10, in particular along the edges of
the panel assembly 10 where the panel assembly 10 connects with the
frame assembly 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, condensation
may occur on a connecting region 10a at which the panel assembly 10
connects with the frame assembly 20. Such condensation may present
challenges in maintaining a desired thermal insulation capability.
Condensation on the connecting region 10a may be exacerbated in
certain situations, such as in situations of greater ambient
temperatures and higher humidity, for example ambient temperatures
greater than 25.degree. C. and relative humidity greater than
80%.
[0082] Condensation on the peripheral connecting region 10a may be
exacerbated more than on other regions of the panel assembly 10,
for example an interior region of the panel assembly 10, due to
differences in physical properties between the panel assembly 10
and the frame assembly 20. Such differences in physical properties
may cause differences in thermal insulation values between the
panel assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20, thus posing greater
challenges to reducing condensation. As a result, the thermal
insulation value may be deteriorated at the connecting region 10a,
more than in other portions of the panel assembly 10 or the frame
assembly 20.
[0083] Accordingly, to address such challenges and reduce
condensation, implementations described herein prevent condensation
on the connecting region 10a between the panel assembly 10 and the
frame assembly 20. In some implementations, the refrigerator may be
configured to reduce condensation only on the connecting region 10a
rather than on the entirety of the panel assembly 10 itself, which
may help reduce energy consumption to more efficiently reduce
condensation. In addition to improving thermal insulation, such
techniques may also improve the usability of refrigerators in which
the panel assembly 10 is transparent by allowing users to clearly
view the inside of the refrigerator even under adverse conditions,
which may be especially useful for household refrigerators.
[0084] As described above, condensation may be exacerbated at the
connecting region 10a between the panel assembly 10 and the frame
assembly 20 due to a form of heat bridge that is formed between two
different physical materials. The difference in thermal insulation
values between the panel assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20 may
result in the connecting region 10a having a relatively low thermal
insulation value. As a result, cold air in the refrigerator may
tend to be concentrated on this connecting region 10a, thereby
causing condensation.
[0085] To address these challenges, implementations described
herein provide efficient heating at the connecting region 10a
between the panel assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20. In some
implementations, the door 7 may provide heating of the connecting
region 10a. In some implementations, the heating may be provided in
addition or as an alternative to changing the structure of the
frame assembly 20. As such, implementations described herein may
help reduce electric energy consumption as compared to techniques
that heat the entirety of the panel assembly 10. Furthermore,
implementations described herein may help simplify the structure of
the refrigerator door and to improve the freedom in design and the
aesthetic appearance of the door.
[0086] FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams illustrating an example of a
refrigerator according to some implementations.
[0087] Although FIGS. 2 and 3 are described with reference to a
sub-door 7, implementations are not limited to a sub-door and
techniques described herein may be applied to any suitable door of
a home appliance. Therefore, the subsequent description will simply
refer to a door 7 for convenience. Furthermore, implementations of
the panel assembly 10 of the sub-door are not limited to the panel
10 in FIGS. 2 and 3, and in general the panel assembly 10 may be
any suitable panel with a heating structure as described
herein.
[0088] The panel assembly 10 of door 7 may have a predetermined
thermal insulation value, and may have an approximately rectangular
shape, although implementations are not limited thereto. The frame
assembly 20 is connected to the peripheral portion of, and thereby
supports, the panel assembly 10, and may have a predetermined
thermal insulation value. A heating element 30 is disposed near the
connecting region 10a at which the panel assembly 10 and the frame
assembly 20 are coupled to each other. The heating element 30 is
disposed at a location that provides substantial heat to the
connecting region 10a. For example, the heating element 30 may be
disposed at a predetermined location on the connecting region 10a.
As another example, the heating element 30 may be spaced apart from
the connecting region 10a by a predetermined distance that enables
substantial heating of the connecting region 10a.
[0089] Examples of individual components of the door 7 are
described below.
[0090] An example of the panel assembly 10 is first described. In
the example of FIG. 2, the panel assembly 10 may include a front
panel 16. The front panel 16 defines a front appearance of the door
7. The front panel 16 may be made of a transparent material to
enable a user to see through the door 7, or the front panel 16 may
be an interactive touch-input panel to enable a user to apply a
touch-input and control operations of the home appliance. As such,
the front panel 16 may be a glass panel in the case of a
transparent panel assembly 10, or may be a touch-input-enabled
panel in the case of an interactive touch-input panel assembly
10.
[0091] The internal space defined within the panel assembly 10 may
include thermal insulation behind the front panel 16. In the
example of FIG. 2, the panel assembly 10 includes a middle panel 14
and a rear panel 12, which may improve the thermal insulation of
the panel assembly 10. However, implementations are not limited the
example of FIG. 2, and the panel assembly 10 may include any
suitable thermal insulation behind the front panel 16, such as any
suitable number of thermal insulation panels or other suitable
thermal insulation behind the front panel 16. As such, in some
implementations, the panel assembly 10 may include the front panel
16 and appropriate thermal insulation behind the front panel 16. In
the case of a transparent panel assembly 10 of FIG. 2, the front
panel 16, the middle panel 14, and the rear panel 12 are glass
panels, and the spaces between the panels may be insulated with a
suitable gas. In the case of an interactive touch-input panel
assembly 10, the interior space defined within the panel assembly
10 may additionally include one or more sensors, such as touch
sensors or electrostatic sensors, enabling touch-input detection on
the front panel 16.
[0092] In some implementations, the front panel 16 may be larger
than the remaining portions of the panel assembly 10. For example,
in FIG. 2, the front panel 16 is larger than the middle panel 14
and the rear panel 12. In some implementations, the front panel 16
may have almost the same size as the door 7 and may cover the frame
assembly 20 when viewed from a front of the refrigerator. As
described above, since the front panel 16 of the panel assembly 10
defines the appearance of the door 7, the front panel 16 having the
same size as the door 7 provides an improved aesthetic appearance
as if the entire door were made of a single panel. To this end, the
front panel 16 has a peripheral front panel portion 16a. The
peripheral front panel portion 16a is a portion that expands in
four directions beyond the edges of the rear panel 12 or the middle
panel 14.
[0093] In some implementations, spacers 18 are interposed between
the panels 12, 14 and 16 at the peripheral portions thereof. The
panels 12, 14 and 16 may be coupled to each other using sealant 19
or other suitable coupling. The panels 12, 14 and 16 may be made of
insulated material having a predetermined thermal insulation value.
In implementations of a transparent panel assembly 10, two or more
panels of thermally insulated glass may be used. In such
implementations, the insulated glass panels 12, 14 and 16 may be
made of low-emissivity glass configured to prevent heat loss due to
radiation. The low-emissivity glass may be hard or soft
low-emissivity glass, and in some implementations soft
low-emissivity glass may be used to obtain high performance low
emissivity.
[0094] In implementations of a transparent panel assembly 10,
tempered glass is used that helps prevent breakage of the panels.
The front panel 16 may be made of a glass that has controllable
light transmissibility, for example color-changeable glass, such
that the inside of the refrigerator is selectively visible from the
outside. For example, when the lighting inside the refrigerator is
turned off the front panel 16 may become opaque such that the
inside of the refrigerator is not visible from the outside; and
when the lighting inside the refrigerator is turned on, the front
panel 16 may become transparent such that the inside of the
refrigerator is visible from the outside. The color-changeable
property of the front panel 16 may have any suitable
implementation, for example a color glass panel or a glass panel,
which is coated with an opaque material through TI deposition, may
also be used. The front panel 16 preferably has a high thermal
insulation value.
[0095] The spacer 18 provided between the panels in the panel
assembly 10 may be constituted by, for example, aluminum (Al), a
thermal protection spacer (TPS) and the like, and a thermal
protection space is preferably used in order to improve the thermal
insulation value at the portion at which the spacer 18 is
installed. The spacer 18 preferably include therein a hygroscopic
material.
[0096] The space 13a between the rear panel 12 and the middle panel
14 and the space 13b between the middle panel 14 and the front
panel 16 may be vacuumized or may be filled with an insulating
solid, liquid, or gas. In some implementations, the space 13a is
filled with air or argon (Ar) gas. Since argon gas has a higher
thermal insulation value than air and is an inert gas capable of
resisting transformation through chemical action, it is preferable
to use argon gas rather than air.
[0097] Next, the frame assembly 20 will be described in detail.
[0098] The frame assembly 20 preferably has a predetermined thermal
insulation value. To this end, the frame assembly 20 may be
constituted by a portion having sufficient rigidity to support the
panel assembly 10 and another portion for substantially fulfilling
the thermal insulation function, without being limited thereto. The
frame assembly 20 defines a thermal insulation space which
accommodates a thermal insulator 60 having a predetermined thermal
insulation value. The frame assembly 20 is preferably coupled to
the panel assembly 10.
[0099] The frame assembly 20 is preferably constituted by a
plurality of components for the convenience of assembly, without
being limited thereto. The overall construction of an example of
the frame assembly 20 is first described with reference to FIG.
3.
[0100] In the example of FIG. 3, the frame assembly 20 includes a
rear frame 200 disposed at the rear portion of the door, a side
frame 300 and a side frame 400 disposed at both lateral side ends
of the door, an upper frame 500 disposed at an upper end of the
door, and a lower frame 600 disposed at a lower end of the door. In
some implementations, such as those in which the panel assembly 10
is transparent, the rear frame 200, the side frames 300, 400, the
upper frame 500, and the lower frame 600 define a thermal
insulation space along the sides of the panel assembly 10. In such
implementations of a transparent see-through panel assembly 10, the
thermal insulation space may accommodate a thermal insulator 60,
such as an insulating foam or other material or gas. The panel
assembly 10 is coupled to the opening defined by the inner edges of
the rear frame 200, the side frames 300, 400, the upper frame 500,
and the lower frame 600. In some implementations, such as those in
which the panel assembly 10 is transparent, a thermal insulator 60,
such as an insulating foam or other material, may be formed in the
space defined by the frames and the peripheral portion of the panel
assembly 10 (see FIG. 2). Alternatively, in some implementations,
such as where the panel assembly 10 is an interactive touch-input
panel, the thermal insulator 60 may not be included, and instead
thermal insulation may be generally provided inside the panel
assembly 10, for example between the panels 12 and 14.
[0101] The rear frame 200 is disposed at the inner side of the door
so as to serve to support the entire door. The frames 300, 400, 500
and 600 are disposed at lateral, upper, and lower sides of the
panel assembly 10 so as to partially define the appearance of the
door. The frames 300, 400, 500 and 600 may serve to prevent warpage
of the door, and, in conjunction with the thermal insulator 60 in
some implementations, may prevent condensation on the door.
[0102] The frames 300, 400, 500, and 600 may define a portion of
the appearance of the door, and in some implementations may be
decorative trims that are visible from the exterior of the
door.
[0103] The rear frame 200, the side frames 300 and 400, and the
relationship therebetween are now described with reference to FIG.
2. The relationship between the panel assembly 10, the rear frame
200, and the upper and lower frames 500 and 600 may have a similar
relationship. The basic structures of the rear frame 200 and the
side frames 300 and 400 are first described for convenience of
explanation, and an example of the specific structures of the rear
frame 200 and the side frames 300 and 400 are described in more
detail in an implementation to be described later in which the
structure of the panel assembly 10 is modified.
[0104] A cross-section of an example of the rear frame 200 is
illustrated in FIG. 2. In this example, the rear frame 200 includes
a first end 220 coupled to the panel assembly 10, a second end 230
coupled to the side frames 300 and 400, and a connecting portion
210 that connects the first end 220 to the second end 230. The
first end 220 of the rear frame 200 is the portion that is
connected to the rear panel 12 of the panel assembly 10, and the
second end 230 is the portion that is connected to the side frames.
The connecting portion 210, connecting the first end 220 to the
second end 230, is substantially parallel to the front face of the
cabinet of the refrigerator. The rear frame 200 is provided at an
area thereof with a gasket 40. The inner surface of the gasket 40
is substantially parallel to the connecting portion 210 connecting
the two ends of the rear frame 200. The first end 220 of the rear
frame 200 is connected to, and thereby supports, the rear panel 12.
The first end 220 of the rear frame 200 is configured to surround
the spacer 18, which may have a low thermal insulation value.
[0105] The side frame 400 may include a rear frame connector 420
connected to the rear frame 200, and a panel connector 410
extending from the rear frame connector 420 substantially to the
peripheral portion of the panel assembly 10, that is, to a position
close to the peripheral front panel portion 16a. The panel
connector 410 of the side frame 400 is connected to the end of the
peripheral front panel portion 16a of the front panel 16.
[0106] The side frame 300 may also include a rear frame connector
320 connected to the rear frame 200, and a panel connector 310
extending from the rear frame connector 320 to the peripheral
portion of the panel assembly 10, that is, to a position close to
the peripheral front panel portion 16a. In some implementations,
the side frame 300 includes an indented portion 330 that is
indented toward the inside of the door between the rear frame
connector 320 and the panel connector 310. The indented portion 330
may serve as a handle of the door. To define a space configured to
receive a user's hand, the end of the peripheral front panel
portion 16a that is connected to the side frame 300 is disposed at
a position further inward than the rear frame connector 320 of the
side frame 300. For example, the peripheral front panel portion 16a
of the side frame 300 of the front panel 16 has a smaller width
than the side frame 300. The panel connector 310 of the side frame
300 extends from a position that is spaced inward apart from the
end of the peripheral front panel portion 16a of the front panel 16
to a position at the end of the peripheral front panel portion 16a,
and is in close contact with the inner surface of the peripheral
front panel portion 16a.
[0107] As described above, for implementations in which the panel
assembly 10 is a transparent see-through panel, the rear frame 200
and the frames 300, 400, 500 and 600 may define a predetermined
space therebetween, and the rear frame 200, the frames 300, 400,
500 and 600, and the peripheral portion of the panel assembly 10
may together define a space that is substantially enclosed. The
space may be filled with the thermal insulator 60, for example,
polyurethane foam (PU foam) so as to provide the frame assembly 20
with a predetermined thermal insulation value. For implementations
in which the panel assembly 10 is not configured to be transparent,
such as an interactive touch-input panel, the space including the
thermal insulator 60 may not be necessary due to thermal insulation
that fills the interior space of the panel assembly 10.
[0108] Next, the heating element 30 is described in detail.
[0109] As described above, under certain conditions, condensation
may be exacerbated at the connecting region 10a between the panel
assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20, more than at other portions
of the panel assembly 10. Accordingly, implementations described
herein are configured to prevent condensation on this connecting
region 10a.
[0110] In some implementations, the heating element 30 is disposed
near the connecting region 10a between the panel assembly 10 and
the frame assembly 20, for example, either at the connecting region
10a or near the connecting region 10a. As a particular example
shown in FIG. 2, the heating element 30 may be installed at a
region, labeled region A in FIG. 2, along a side surface of the
interior region of the panel assembly 10, between the thermal
insulator 60 and the panel assembly 10. It is further preferable
for the heating element 30 to be positioned close to the front
surface of the door 7 so as to reduce condensation at the front
surface of the panel assembly 10. As such, the heating element 30
may be provided at a position at which to heat the front surface of
the door 7. To this end, the heating element 30 is preferably
installed on a rear surface of the front panel 16 of the panel
assembly 10, illustrated in FIG. 2 as region E.
[0111] In some implementations, the heating element 30 may be
provided at a region where the frame assembly 20 connects with the
panel assembly 10. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the
heating element may be provided at region B either on the inner
surface or the outer surface of the first end 220 and panel
connector 310 of the frame assembly 20. As such, the heating
element may be provided at a portion at which the front and rear
ends of the frame assembly 20 are mainly connected to the panel
assembly 10. Therefore, the heating element 30 may be provided at
any one or more of regions B, A, and E in FIG. 2, at which the
panel assembly 10 is coupled to the frame assembly 20.
[0112] As described above, because the spacer 18 is configured to
have a low thermal insulation value, the heating element 30 may be
installed at a region C at which the spacer 18 is installed. For
example, the heating element 30 may be installed in the spacer 18,
may be installed in contact with the spacer 18, or may be installed
near the spacer 18. However, in the case where the heating element
30 is installed in the spacer 18, the hygroscopic material in the
spacer 18 may leak out, thereby causing condensation inside the
panel assembly 10. Furthermore, because the spacer 18 is positioned
inside the panel assembly 10, an additional mounting structure and
additional wiring may be required to provide the heating element 30
in the spacer 18 or in contact with the spacer 18. Accordingly,
there may be advantages in providing the heating element 30 along
the peripheral portion of the panel assembly 10. If the heating
element 30 is installed along a peripheral portion of the panel
assembly 10, the heating element 30 may be provided close to the
spacer 18 while simplifying the installation structure.
[0113] Although the above examples have described the heating
element 30 provided close to the connecting region 10a between the
panel assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20, implementations are
not limited thereto. The heating element 30 may be installed at any
position on the panel assembly 10 that enables the heating element
30 to transfer heat to the connecting region 10a and thus prevent
condensation. This may be achieved even if the heating element 30
is slightly spaced apart from the connecting region 10a. For
example, the heating element 30 may be provided at the peripheral
portion of the front panel 16 of the panel assembly 10, that is, in
at least one region of the inner and outer surfaces D of the
peripheral front panel portion 16a.
[0114] In some implementations, the heating element 30 may be
configured to heat only the connecting region 10a between the panel
assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20. As such, in some
implementations, the heating element 30 may be implemented as a
heating wire, which may consume relatively little power.
Accordingly, the heating element 30 configured to have a wire shape
may be disposed along the peripheral portion of the panel assembly
10. The heating element 30 may be implemented as a heating wire and
have a shape corresponding to the shape of the peripheral portion
of the panel assembly 10 (see FIG. 3). By configuring the heating
element 30 in such a manner to heat only the connecting portion
10a, rather than the entire panel assembly 10, power consumption
may be reduced while still achieving reduced condensation. For
example, in some implementations the heating element 30 configured
according to this structure may consume only about 7 W of power, as
compared to about 60 W or more that may be consumed by heating the
entire panel assembly 10. As a result, power consumption may be
reduced by a significant fraction, for example, to 1/8 of the power
consumption of heating the entire panel assembly 10.
[0115] In some implementations, the side frames 300 and 400 may be
disposed behind the peripheral front panel portion 16a of the front
panel 16 so as to be invisible to a user when viewed from in front
of the door. Accordingly, the front panel 16 of the panel assembly
10 may be the same size as the door and may have a flat surface,
rather than a curved surface. In addition, the panel connector 310
of the side frame 300 may be connected to a rear surface of the
peripheral front panel portion 16a of the front panel 16 and thus
be hidden from view. Furthermore, the heating element 30 may be
installed near the connecting region 10a between the panel assembly
10 and the frame assembly 20.
[0116] In addition, an opaque region 50 may be provided on an inner
surface of the peripheral front panel portion 16a of the front
panel 16, and the heating element 30 may be positioned on an inner
surface of the opaque region 50. As such, this may prevent the
heating element 30 from being visible from the outside of the door.
The opaque region 50 may be implemented, for example, by an opaque
material that is printed on the inner surface of the front panel
16.
[0117] The heating element 30 may be attached to the front panel 16
by any suitable heat-conductive attachment, for example by using
aluminum (Al) adhesive tape. Heat from the heating element 30 can
be efficiently transmitted to the peripheral region of the front
panel 16 via the heat-conducting attachment. As another advantage,
for implementations in which the panel assembly 10 is a transparent
see-through panel, attaching the heating element 30 using aluminum
(Al) adhesive tape may enable the heating element 30 to be
temporarily held in place during the process of manufacturing the
door, thus preventing the heating element 30 from being pushed into
the panel assembly 10 upon insertion of the thermal insulator
60.
[0118] An example in which condensation is prevented in the
refrigerator door according to the implementation of the present
disclosure is now described with reference to FIG. 2.
[0119] In this implementation, the panel assembly 10 and the frame
assembly 20 have a predetermined thermal insulation value whereby
condensation does not occur on the sub-door 7 under general ambient
conditions. However, under certain conditions, such as when the
environment surrounding refrigerator becomes adverse, for example,
during rainy seasons or in a tropical climate, the cold air in the
refrigerator may leak to the outside of the door. Accordingly, the
heating element 30 provided near the connecting region 10a results
in heating of the cold air that leaks to the outside of the door.
Consequently, even in scenarios of high relative humidity of air
around the front panel 16, condensation does not occur at the
connecting region 10a between the panel assembly 10 and the frame
assembly 20. Furthermore, heat from the heating element 30 is
transmitted via the heat-conductive attachment, such as aluminum
adhesive tape, that attaches the heating element 30 to the front
panel 16, as well as via the side frames 300 and 400, thereby
preventing condensation even on the side frames 300 and 400. To
this end, the side frames 300 and 400 are preferably made of metal
having high heat conductivity.
[0120] Next, an example of a refrigerator door according to another
implementation of the present disclosure is described with
reference to FIG. 2. In the previous implementation, condensation
on the door is prevented by providing the heating element 30. In
this implementation, condensation on the door is prevented by
modifying the structure of the frame assembly 20, either in
addition to or as an alternative to providing the heating element
30.
[0121] An example of this modified frame assembly 20 is described
with reference to the rear frame 200.
[0122] In the implementation shown in FIG. 2, the first end 220 of
the rear frame 200 that is connected to the panel assembly 10
extends so as to cover the peripheral portion of the panel assembly
10. For example, the first end 220 may extend to cover the portion
of the panel assembly 10 at which the spacer 18 is installed. By
modifying the first end 220 of the rear frame 200 to cover the
spacer 18, this may further help prevent cold air in the
refrigerator from leaking to the outside through the spacer 18,
even in scenarios where the spacer 18 has a relatively low thermal
insulation value. In addition, if the space defined between the
first end 220 of the rear frame 200 and the spacer 18 is filled
with a thermal insulator, this may further improve the thermal
insulation value. Although the first end 220 of the rear frame 200
may further extend inward towards the middle of the panel assembly
10 beyond the spacer 18, this may have a disadvantage of reducing
the size of the portion of the panel assembly 10 that is exposed to
the outside, thereby reducing the area through which a user views
the inside of the refrigerator, in the case of a transparent panel
assembly 10, or reducing the interactive touch-input area, in the
case of a touch-input panel assembly 10. Therefore, in order to
achieve a tradeoff between maximizing the size of the panel
assembly 10 while minimizing heat transfer to the outside, the
first end 220 of the rear frame 200 preferably extends to such an
extent as to substantially cover the spacer 18. For example, the
edge of the first end 220 of the rear frame 200 that is connected
to the panel may coincide with the edge of the spacer 18 when
viewed from the front.
[0123] The second end 230 of the rear frame 200 that is connected
to the side frame 300 or 400 may be connected to the inner side of
the side frame 300 or 400. The portion of the rear frame 200 that
is connected to the side frame 400 is preferably disposed at the
inner side of the rear frame connector 420 of the side frame 400 so
as to overlap it, and is preferably almost the same length as the
rear frame connector 420. Similarly, the portion of the rear frame
200 that is connected to the side frame 300 is also preferably
connected to the rear frame connector 320 of the side frame 300 so
as to overlap it. However, in some implementations, the portion of
the rear frame 200 may also be configured to overlap the remaining
portion of the rear frame connector 320 to exclude the indented
portion 330.
[0124] For implementations that provide the thermal insulator 60
along the edges of the door, such as implementations in which the
panel assembly 10 is a transparent window, the thermal insulator 60
is covered by the rear frame 200 having a high thermal insulation
value, thereby more reliably preventing cold air that passes
through the thermal insulator 60 from leaking out through the rear
frame 200.
[0125] As the rear frame 200 is positioned inside the refrigerator
and is the component that the cold air in the refrigerator first
contacts, the rear frame 200 is preferably made of a material
having a low coefficient of heat transfer. In addition, the rear
frame 200 is preferably made of thermoplastic resin, and more
preferably ABS, to facilitate moldability in manufacturing.
[0126] In the previous implementation, condensation is prevented by
modifying the structure of the rear frame 200. Next, an example of
a modified structure of the side frames 300 and 400 is described.
The subsequent examples may also be applied to modify the upper
frame 500 and the lower frame 600.
[0127] In this implementation, condensation is prevented by
modifying the structure of the side frames 300 and 400. The side
frames 300 and 400 preferably serve to increase the mechanical
strength of the door and may further be configured to prevent
condensation. Specifically, if the side frames 300 and 400 are
exposed to air outside the refrigerator, the side frames 300 and
400 may be configured to absorb the heat attributable to the
ambient temperature outside the refrigerator and exchange heat
between the absorbed heat and the front surface of the door 7,
which is cooled by the cold air in the refrigerator, thereby
preventing condensation.
[0128] As such, the side frames 300 and 400 preferably absorb the
heat attributable to the ambient temperature outside the
refrigerator, and transfer the absorbed heat to the connecting
region 10a between the panel assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20.
As a result, heat exchange occurs at the connecting region 10a,
which is cooled by the cold air in the refrigerator, thereby
preventing condensation. Accordingly, the side frames 300 and 400
are preferably made of a heat-conducting material, for example a
metal such as aluminum (Al), which has a predetermined mechanical
strength and is capable of easily radiating heat energy.
[0129] As in the rear frame 200, the ends of the side frames 300
and 400 cover the spacer 18, which may have a relatively low
thermal insulation value. However, this may have a disadvantage of
increasing the thickness of the frame assembly 20 (in the
anteroposterior direction of the door). In addition, as in the
above implementation of the modified rear frame 200, extending the
frame assembly 20 towards the interior region the panel assembly 10
(in the direction of the center of the door from the right and left
ends and the upper and lower ends of the door) to cover the spacer
18 may reduce the size of the portion of the panel assembly 10 that
is exposed to the outside. Accordingly, it is preferable for the
front panel 16 of the panel assembly 10 to have the peripheral
front panel portion 16a, and for the side frames 300 and 400 to be
disposed behind the peripheral front panel portion 16a.
[0130] Furthermore, the refrigerator door preferably includes heat
transfer structures 315 and 415 configured to efficiently transfer
heat from the ambient temperature that is absorbed by the side
frames 300 and 400 to the portion of the front panel 16 having a
relatively low thermal insulation value. The heat transfer
structures 315 and 415 are also disposed behind the peripheral
front panel portion 16a of the front panel 16 of the panel assembly
10. In some implementations, one end of each of the heat transfer
structures 315 and 415 are connected to the corresponding one of
the side frames 300 and 400, and the other end of the heat transfer
structures 315 and 415 extend to the connecting region 10a between
the panel assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20.
[0131] An example of the side frame 400 is now described. The side
frame 400 preferably includes the heat transfer structure 415,
which extends from a predetermined position thereof to the
connecting region 10a between the panel assembly 10 and the frame
assembly 20. The heat transfer structure 415 preferably extends
from the side frame 400 to a position close to the spacer 18.
Furthermore, the heat transfer structure 415 more preferably
extends so as to contact the inner surface of the peripheral front
panel portion 16a of the front panel 16. The heat, which has been
transferred to the side frame 400 from the ambient-temperature air
outside of the refrigerator, is transferred to the connecting
region 10a between the panel assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20,
thereby preventing condensation on the connecting region 10a.
[0132] Similarly, the side frame 300 preferably includes the heat
transfer structure 315, which extends from a predetermined position
on the side frame 300 to the connecting region 10a between the
panel assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20. The heat transfer
structure 315 preferably extends from the panel connector 310 of
the side frame 300 to the connecting region 10a, and more
preferably to a position close to the spacer 18. Furthermore, the
heat transfer structure 315 more preferably extends so as to
contact the inner surface of the peripheral front panel portion 16a
of the front panel 16. The heat, which has been transmitted to the
side frame 300 from the ambient-temperature air outside the
refrigerator, is transferred to the connecting region 10a between
the panel assembly 10 and the frame assembly 20 through the heat
transfer structure 315, thereby preventing condensation on the
connecting region 10a.
[0133] In some implementations, the heating element 30 may
additionally be provided on the front panel 16, disposed close to
the connecting region 10a between the panel assembly 10 and the
frame assembly 20. The heating element 30 may provide further
heating of the front panel 16, in addition to the heat that is
transferred by the heating structures 315 and 415 from the side
frames 300 and 400. In such implementations, the heating element 30
may also contact the heat transfer structure 315 or 415.
[0134] Although the above examples disclose implementation
including a modification in the structure of the rear frame 200 and
implementations including a modification of the frames 300, 400,
500 and 600, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For
example, some implementations may include modifications of the
structure of the rear frame 200 in addition to modifications of the
structures of the frames 300, 400, 500 and 600.
[0135] An example of an operation of the implementation is now
described. For convenience of explanation, an example is described
that includes modifications in the structure of the rear frame 200
in addition to modifications of the structures of the frames 300,
400, 500 and 600.
[0136] The transfer of cold air inside the refrigerator to the
outside of the refrigerator is primarily blocked by the rear frame
200. In addition, for implementations in which the panel assembly
10 is transparent, cold air may further be blocked by the thermal
insulator 60. In some implementations, the rear frame 200 is made
of thermoplastic resin having a high thermal insulation value, thus
more efficiently blocking the transfer of cold air to the outside
of the refrigerator. In such implementations, because the second
end 230 of the rear frame 200 that is connected to the side frame
300 or 400 is disposed at the inner side of the side frame 300 or
400, this may further prevent cold air that has passed through the
thermal insulator 60 from being transferred to the outside.
[0137] A portion of the cold air in the refrigerator may be
transferred to the front surface of the door 7 without being
blocked by the rear frame 200 or the thermal insulator 60. However,
since the side frames 300 and 400 are made of metal having high
heat conductivity, the side frames 300 and 400 may absorb heat of
external air having an ambient temperature outside the
refrigerator, and may transfer the absorbed heat to the inside of
the side frames 300 and 400. Consequently, the heat transferred
from the side frames 300 and 400 heats the front surface of the sub
door 7, which is cooled by the cold air transmitted to the front
surface without being blocked by the rear frame 200 or by the
thermal insulator 60, thereby preventing condensation on the front
surface. Furthermore, the ambient-temperature heat transferred to
the side frames 300 and 400 is more efficiently transferred to the
connecting region 10a between the panel assembly 10 and the frame
assembly 20 through means of the heat transfer structures 315 and
415 provided at the side frames 300 and 400. The resulting heat
transferred to the front panel 16 more efficiently prevents
condensation. Furthermore, implementations in which the heating
element 30 is additionally included may further provide more
efficient prevention of condensation.
[0138] The heat transfer structures 315 and 415 according to the
present disclosure may be implemented in various manners to
transfer heat from the side frames 300 and 400 of the door to the
peripheral front panel portion 16a at the periphery of the front
panel 16. As such, the heat transfer structures 315 and 415 may
transfer heat to a portion of the panel assembly 10 that connects
with the frame assembly 20, namely the peripheral connecting region
10a shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, where the panel assembly 10 is most
susceptible to condensation. Furthermore, by being confined to this
peripheral front panel portion 16a, the heat transfer structures
315 and 415 may remain outside of an interior region of the panel
assembly 10, where the panel assembly 10 may be provided with
transparent glass panels in the case of a transparent panel
assembly 10 or where the panel assembly 10 may be provided with
sensors and electronic components in the case of an interactive
touch-input panel assembly 10. Various implementations of the heat
transfer structures 315 and 415 portion are described with
reference to FIGS. 4A to 4E.
[0139] FIGS. 4A to 4E illustrate different examples of the heat
transfer structure 315 that transfers heat between the side frame
300 and the front panel 16. Similar structures may be used for the
heat transfer structure 415 between the side frame 400 and the
front panel 16. However, implementations are not limited to these
examples, and may include other types of heat transfer structures
that transfer heat between the side frames 300, 400 and the front
panel 16, specifically the peripheral front panel portion 16a of
the front panel 16.
[0140] In the first example illustrated in FIG. 4A, the heat
transfer structure includes a heat transfer portion 315a configured
to penetrate the thermal insulator 60. The heat transfer portion
315a includes a penetrating portion 3151 and a contact portion
3153. The penetrating portion 3151 may extend from the side frame
300 and penetrate the space defined between the side frame 300 and
the side surface of an interior region of the panel assembly 10. In
the case of a transparent panel assembly 10, this space may be
filled with the thermal insulator 60. The contact portion 3153
extends from the penetrating portion 3151 and contacts along the
side surface of the interior region of the panel assembly 10. In
this case, the contact portion 3153 preferably has a predetermined
length so as to extend along the side surface of the interior
region of the panel assembly 10. In addition, the panel connector
310 of the side frame 300 may be connected to the peripheral front
panel portion 16a of the front panel 16 at a position spaced inward
apart from the end of the peripheral front panel portion 16a, thus
providing additional transfer of heat from the side frame 300 to
the peripheral front panel portion 16a of the front panel 16.
[0141] In the second example illustrated in FIG. 4B, the heat
transfer structure includes a heat transfer portion 315b. The heat
transfer portion 315b includes a penetrating portion 3155 and a
contact portion 3157. The penetrating portion 3155 penetrates the
space defined between the side frame 300 and the side surface of an
interior region of the panel assembly 10. The contact portion 3157
extends from the penetrating portion 3155 and contacts along the
inner surface of the peripheral front panel portion 16a of the
front panel 16. In this case, the contact portion 3157 preferably
has a predetermined length so as to extend along the inner surface
of the peripheral front panel portion 16a of the front panel 16. In
addition, the panel connector 310 of the side frame 300 may be
connected to the peripheral front panel portion 16a of the front
panel 16 at a position spaced inward apart from the end of the
peripheral front panel portion 16a, thus providing additional
transfer of heat from the side frame 300 to the peripheral front
panel portion 16a of the front panel 16.
[0142] In the third example illustrated in FIG. 4C, the heat
transfer structure 315 includes a heat transfer portion 315c
extending from the panel connector 310 of the side frame 300 to a
location near the side surface of the interior region of the panel
assembly 10. In particular, the panel connector 310 of the side
frame 300 is connected to the front panel 16 and is disposed at a
location spaced inward apart from the outer edge of the peripheral
front panel portion 16a of the front panel 16. The heat transfer
portion 315c may thus extend from the panel connector 310 to a
location near the side surface of the panel assembly 10. In this
case, the panel connector 310 provides a conduit for heat transfer
between the side frame 300 and the heat transfer structure, which
in turn transfers heat to the peripheral front panel portion 16a of
the front panel 16.
[0143] As illustrated the fourth example FIG. 4D and FIG. 4E, the
heat transfer structure may include one or more heat transfer
portions that extend along both the side of the panel assembly 10
and that also extend along the front panel 16. Specifically, FIG.
4D illustrates a heat transfer structure including two heat
transfer portions 315d and 315e, wherein the heat transfer portion
315d is connected to and extends along the side surface of the
interior region of the panel assembly 10, and the heat transfer
portion 315e is connected to and extends along the front panel 16.
Another example is illustrated in FIG. 4E, in which the heat
transfer structure includes heat transfer portions 315f and 315g,
wherein heat transfer portion 315f is connected to and extends
along the side surface of the interior region of the panel assembly
10, and heat transfer portion 315g is connected to and extends
along the peripheral front panel portion 16a of the front panel 16.
In these examples, the panel connector 310 also transfers heat
between the side frame 300 to the peripheral front panel portion
16a of the front panel 16.
[0144] In some implementations, the heat transfer structure 315 may
constitute a different material than the side frame 300, and may be
connected to the side frame 300, for example via the panel
connecter 310. Alternatively, in some implementations, the heat
transfer structure 315 may be an extension of, and constituting the
same material as, the side frame 300 and the panel connector 310.
In addition to the heat transfer structure 315 shown in FIGS. 4A to
4E, the panel assembly 10 may be additionally provided with a
heating element, such as heating element 30 shown in FIG. 2, that
provides additional heating of the peripheral front panel portion
16a of the front panel 16.
[0145] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described
implementations, and may be applied to various types of doors that
include panels. For example, although the above examples have been
described for the case in which the main door 5 is the same size as
the sub-door 7, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In
some implementations, the sub-door may be smaller in size than the
main door, so as to fit within the main door when the sub-door is
closed. An example of this sub-door configuration is illustrated in
FIG. 5, in which sub-door 7a fits within the main door 5. As such,
the above implementations of heat transfer structures may also be
applied to the case in which the sub-door 7a has a smaller size
than the main door 5.
[0146] Furthermore, although the above examples have been described
with reference the structure in which the front panel 16 of the
panel assembly 10 covers the entire front surface of the sub-door
7, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, as
illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, implementations may also include a
sub-door 7b having a panel assembly 10a in which a front panel 16a
of the panel assembly 10a does not cover the entire surface of the
sub-door 7b. As shown in FIG. 7, the front panel 16a of the panel
assembly 10a may be surrounded by a separate structure, for example
the side frames 300a and 200a, that are visible from the front of
the refrigerator. The door 7b includes a frame assembly 20a that
supports the panel assembly 10a, and a heating element 30 disposed
at the periphery of the panel assembly 10a on the connecting region
between the panel assembly 10a and the frame assembly 20a. The
frame assembly 20a includes a first frame 200a and a second frame
300a, and heat transfer structures may be implemented that transfer
heat from the side frames 200a and 300a to the front panel 16a in
an analogous manner to the structures of FIGS. 4A to 4E.
[0147] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described
implementations, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that
various modifications are possible, without departing from the
scope and spirit of the disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0148] 5, 7: door [0149] 10: panel assembly [0150] 20: frame
assembly [0151] 30: heating element
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